I'm experimenting with light bulbs on my 01 XJR. Right now I want to have the blue light look - similar to 7000k. I don't want to install the HID system because of several drawbacks including high heat and wiring modification.

So, at this stage I'm pursuing changing out the bulbs.This is what I have done so far:

Headlamps - purchased 2 HELLA H7 12V/55W High Performance Xenon Blue Halogen Bulb Sets for High and Low beams. You would think that being called Xenon Blue Halogen these would give off blue light. NOPE. The emitted light is white. In defense of these, I have to say they are a major improvement over the stock H7 bulb I had. Still in pursuit of blue head lights, I just purchased Nokya Arctic White Stage 1 (55W) 7000k H7 bulbs. Blue light does not give you equal performance as white light but since I do most of my driving on the street, they will suffice. However, on the dark back roads I can use my high beams and will need all the range i can get. Therefore I bought just 1 pair for low beams. Will update here as soon as I install them.

For parking lights inside the high beam housing, I used AutoVizion T10 (194/168) Wedge Super Blue LED Light Bulbs. Bulbs required some adjustments on the leads for proper contact, but that was an easy one. Very blue.

For fog lamps, I got Sylvania 9006 CB Cool Blue Halogen Headlight Bulbs. Haven't installed them yet because I am replacing the lower engine shield and will do the replacement at the same time.

I thought about converting the rest of my exterior lights to LED. I contacted Autolumination with questions about bulb replacement and they answered right back. Before anyone jumps to any concludions a) I am not affiliated with Autolumination in any way, b) did not hear about them until reading a lighting thread posted in the XK section.

Here are the bulb part numbers for the Jaguar:
Low beam headlampH7
High beam headlampH7
Parking light2825
Front turn signal7507
Front turn signal7506
Rear turn signal7507
Tail light7528
Stop light7528
High mount stop lightH21W (64136)
High mount stop light2825
Fog/Driving light9006
License plate6418
Back up light7506
Front sidemarker2825
Rear sidemarker2825
Glove box3893
Map light2825
Step/Courtesy light6418
Step/Courtesy light2825

For the brake lights, use a red led behind a red lens.

For the Reverse lights, use a super white bulb, not a blue led. Blue leds are vivid blue.

Here are some other things to be aware of if switching to led bulbs:

With many flashers, led bulbs will cause the turns signals to flash rapidly, or not flash at all.

If using led bulbs for turn signal applications, or in vehicles with bulb-out warning systems, like Audi, Volvo, Mercedes, BMW, VW and others, you may need to add load equalizers.

For led turn signals, you can change the flasher out using one of our new patented combination led/oem bulb flashers if we have one that fits your vehicle.

Unfortunately, there are no application charts for the flashers.

The simplest way is to match the blades of the one you have to the images on the web page to see if we have one that matches. You can find the flasher by switching on the turn signals and finding where the clicking sound is coming from.

If we do not have an led flasher that matches, use one 6 ohm load equalizer installed across the - ground wire and the + turn signal wire feeding each led bulb.

More details on load equalizers can be found at:

LED Flashers Blinkers Resistors Load Equalizers for Turn Signal Replacement Bulbs Rapid Flashing Fix

Use two 6 ohm equalizers for two front, or two rear led turn signal bulbs.

If you have four led turn signal bulbs in the front or rear, use two 3 ohm and position the load equalizer across the wire that feeds both bulbs. In some cases, if the front and read turn signal bulbs are powered from the same circuit, one 3 ohm on each side will take care of two led turn signal bulbs, one front and one rear. The only way to know is to try it and see.

One 6 ohm at each led turn signal bulb always will work though.

Place one load equalizer at each led turn signal bulb. For turn signal led bulbs, the equalizer must be spliced across the - ground wire and the + turn signal wire feeding each led bulb.

More details on led flashers and load equalizers can be found at:

LED Flashers Blinkers Resistors Load Equalizers for Turn Signal Replacement Bulbs Rapid Flashing Fix

If your vehicle is equipped with an electronic bulb-out warning system, then any led bulb used in a bulb position that is monitored by the electronic bulb-out warning system will likely trigger an electronic bulb-out warning.

Not all bulbs are monitored by the electronic bulb-out warning systems. To test to see if a bulb is monitored by an electronic bulb-out system, you can remove the bulb to see if you get a warning,

To stop the electronic bulb-out warnings, install a load equalizer across the + and - wires that feed each led bulb that is causing an electronic bulb-out warning. Use one 6 ohm at each led bulb that is 3/4" diameter and larger. Use one 15 ohm at each led bulb location that is smaller than 3/4" diameter.

Alternatively, we do have bulbs that contain special "canbus circuitry". The "canbus circuitry" is designed to eliminate most electronic bulb-out warnings in BMW. Mercedes, Audi. VW, Volvo and most others.

Our canbus bulbs are on this page:

906 921 Interior Lights

Electronic bulb-out warnings and turn signal flashing/speed issues are not the same issue. Each must be addressed separately. Unfortunately, the circuitry required to correct the turn signal issues is too bulky to fit inside those bulbs, so the load equalizers or led flashers are still the only solution.

More details on led flashers and load equalizers can be found at:

LED Flashers Blinkers Resistors Load Equalizers for Turn Signal Replacement Bulbs Rapid Flashing Fix

Hope this can be useful to anyone out here. I will continue with my personal experience update.

 

X308 need load resistors on each outer bulb you replace, they're on the can-bus, and the resistance of a straight swap will make it fast flash along with bulb failure warning the cabin bulbs don't. A flasher can won't work because the lights go thru the BCM or body control module. Location of the resistors is vital, they get hot if the lights are used for a long time so look for mounting on metal to dissipate heat.

Experimenting with led replacements, for the optimum lighting of the reflector, length matters, despite what she says....

I've done a HID conversion on the dipped beams, a 'brilliant' upgrade, to comply with laws here, the car needs the washer system along with motorized adjustment system. The HID install is straightforward, using H7 adaptors that snap in. Scotchlocks also make it a simple splice, keeping the original sockets for reversal. Heat isn't an issue, air cools them, just don't use them with the car standing for a long period if fitting them.

It's a worthwhile upgrade, particularly the leds, it's 'fit and forget' as their lifespan is 10 times that of incandescents, no heat degradation and low volt draw. Utilize cutting edge tech

It's a proper project, with near misses until you find the ones that work. I found HK sellers on ebay are a lot cheaper than autolumination. You can get certain led's with built in load resistors to defeat the can bus warning on certain types like number plate lights (festoons).

 

Anyone know the LED equivalent for the glove box bulb ?!